Martin's dad to speak to congress

[aeropb]

But there just as many White kids enamored with the "gangsta" culture as Black kids. Hell, go to any quick trip, you'll see Eminem wanna bes left and right.

so is it really a crisis of specifically young black men or just young men?

 

[JB Books]

so is it really a crisis of specifically young black men or just young men?

I would say in my experience and opinion, young Black men are more at risk, but as I have said repeatedly since we started speaking about race on this forum...the problem is more economic than racial. It's just that Blacks are disproportionally impoverished. But make no mistake, the son of a White meth head is just as at risk as the son of a Black crack whore. And the daughters of both are almost certain to repeat his vicious cycle.

 

[Fredkrueger100]

I haven't followed this as closely as most of you. I think it is a media rating frenzy designed to get ratings.

Here's what I believe: there is, indeed, a crises in the population of young Black men. They are routinely stereotyped and some, in a search for identity, embrace a negative stereotype because they see that as a way to gain respect. I agree with Obama that something should be done to save these kids from self-destructive behavior and to help them gain the skills, both technical and psychological, to break out of cycles of poverty and despair.

I think racism from any side should be called out. Doesn't matter if it's a White person saying "******," or a Black person saying, "cracker." We have to try to move to a point like Dr. King stated so long ago, wherein character is more important than skin color.

The only "ism" that we should embrace is Americanism, wherein ALL Americans, no matter their color or creed, strive to make our great land the strongest, safest, happiest, most productive nation on God's good earth.

Well said indeed.

 

[Glocktogo]

so is it really a crisis of specifically young black men or just young men?

I think ALL young men and women in the U.S. will face a bleaker future than their parents, but young black men are especially vulnerable. With so many of them growing up in families where there are no positive role models, where do they find their role models outside the family unit? They see momma unemployed and addicted to WIC and EBT cards. Dad is nowhere to be found. They can't connect with or even understand people who work their ass off in the trades. People who work in white collar professional jobs might as well be aliens to them. Their only role models are gang members who make money by crime, athletes who won the physical genetics lottery and hip-hop/rap stars. Most of them will never make it in the latter, so the former becomes their life.

It isn't a lack of social programs or tax dollars, it's the lack of anyone who gives a damn in their family or their school or their neighborhood about what they make of their lives. Look at Aaron Hernandez. He's got a $30M contract in the bag and all he can do is thug it up off the field. Money didn't solve his problems, and he even had a dad in his life until he was 16!

Look at Detroit. It's a complete s#!thole. Everyone they see around them is on the take, legally or illegally. There is no future for a town that can't stop blaming it's problems on everyone but the people they entrusted their community with. The Big 3 didn't save them? Why should they? The Republicans didn't save them? Why should they? If you want to be saved, then get off your a$$ and go get yourself saved! If you don't work for it, the system will work you. It's designed to put you on the dole and keep you dependent, just like the dealer on the street.

That's the real injustice.

 

[Glock]

I will say this: Nothing that I've read in this thread or any other thread has given me pause to rethink my outlook on the situation. thugz and punk azz kids are still just that and will continue to be treated as such until they decide to break out of the mold and become productive members of society.

Till that happens, they get the profile they deserve.

Be the change you want to see brother.

 

[aeropb]

indeed poverty is worse than cocaine. http://articles.philly.com/2013-07-...llam-hurt-so-called-crack-babies-funded-study

 

[cjjtulsa]

Did you ever consider that other person may have just been a better candidate, or did you just cop it out to race?

A question we can pose to everyone who's used that excuse to justify Affirmative Action, too.

 

[jmike314]

There are a whole lot of inaccuracy's in your post.
I hope you do the research and correct them.

I'm not above being corrected. Lord knows I've had my share of typos too. If I screwed something up them let me know.

If its the dates, then I may be off by a year or 2 in some places - I'll admit that. It was coming from memory and I'm better at science than history. Other things like the integration of schools - I understand perfectly that there were places that were integrated prior to the date but I was referring to legislation that made segregation illegal. Some places didn't need laws and others didn't follow the laws once they were passed. I was going off the timeline of enacted legislation.

As for the scholarships - I don't think I'm off on anything there.

If I'm way off base on the dates, tell me. You won't hurt my feelings if I posted something incorrect.

 

[BIG_MIKE2005]

Positive change...the kind that helps out the whole country does not start with "them". There's enough responsibility to account for on both sides of the fence.

I'm sorry but when a entire race only makes up about 12.6% of the total population in America but also accounts for about 40% of prison population there is a serious problem. Once again, I point out accountability & responsibility. At some point the blame game has to stop.

 

[jmike314]

I'm sorry but when your entire race only makes up about 12.6% of the total population in America but also accounts for about 40% of prison population there is a serious problem. Once again, I point out accountability & responsibility. At some point the blame game has to stop.

As you place the blame on one particular race.

You are absolutely correct about there being a disproportionate number of blacks in the prison population. No denying that. But why is that?
Looking at arrest statistics the breakdown is in the area of 70% white 30% black. But as you point out prison population breaks down to roughly 60% white and 40% black. So then why are more blacks going to prison?

I'm not trying to blame anyone as I believe there is plenty of that to go around. I was simply saying that its not about one group of people. Both sides of the argument need to accept some responsibility and make changes in order for things to be different.